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Synonyms

carcinoma

American  
[kahr-suh-noh-muh] / ˌkɑr səˈnoʊ mə /

noun

Pathology.

plural

carcinomas, carcinomata
  1. a malignant and invasive epithelial tumor that spreads by metastasis and often recurs after excision; cancer.


carcinoma British  
/ ˌkɑːsɪˈnəʊmə /

noun

  1. any malignant tumour derived from epithelial tissue

  2. another name for cancer

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

carcinoma Scientific  
/ kär′sə-nōmə /

plural

carcinomas
  1. Any of various cancerous tumors that are derived from epithelial tissue of the skin, blood vessels, or other organs and that tend to metastasize to other parts of the body.

  2. See also basal cell carcinoma squamous cell carcinoma


carcinoma Cultural  
  1. A malignant tumor in the tissues that make up the skin, glands, mucous membranes, and lining of organs.


Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of carcinoma

1715–25; < Latin: ulcer, tumor < Greek karkínōma; see carcino-, -oma

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

One sub-type, ovarian clear cell carcinoma, has a particularly strong connection to the condition.

From BBC • May 8, 2026

The lesion -- clearly visible in recent weeks -- was a basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, said dermatologist Cristina Abdalla, who led the procedure at the Sirio-Libanes Hospital in Sao Paulo.

From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026

A study published last year in the journal Nature, for example, found that a personalized vaccine showed promise in forestalling recurrence of clear cell renal cell carcinoma, an aggressive form of kidney cancer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

The trial involved 12 people with several types of metastatic cancer, including melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and different forms of breast cancer.

From Science Daily • Mar. 16, 2026

John had nasopharyngeal carcinoma, an extremely rare cancer that attacks the throat and nasal passages, but if the disease is caught early, 60 to 70 percent of patients can be cured.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

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